Staff:

Jon Payne: District Superintendent

Jon has been in vocational ministry for over 25 years as a youth pastor, associate pastor, interim pastor, Fellowship of Christian Athletes staff member, and senior pastor. He and his high school sweetheart Kim have been married since 1987. They have two married adult children Kristin and Jessica.

Scott Sterner: Church Multiplication Catalyst

Scott grew up in central Nebraska and sensed a call to ministry while studying engineering at Iowa State University. After completing a degree in music he served for 15 years in worship and executive pastor roles in Ames and Iowa City, Iowa. In 2010 Scott transitioned to Madison, Wisconsin to plant The Vine Church which later planted Redeemer City Church and then formed the Madison Multiply Network.

In 2013 Scott became part-time Director of Multiplication in the Forest Lakes District. In August of 2018 he transitioned to full-time with the district as Church Multiplication Catalyst. In January of 2019 Scott also accepted a part-time role with EFCA national as Church Multiplication Systems Catalyst. Scott pursued graduate coursework in music at the University of Iowa and theology at Covenant Theological Seminary (St. Louis, MO) and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Deerfield, IL). Scott has been married to Carrie for twenty-five years. They are parents of five and grandparents of one.

Rob Weise: Student & Family Ministries and District Events

Rob grew up in Wausau and married his wife Nancy in 1983. He was in sales for 15 years and also served as a children's and youth ministry volunteer for 15 years.

Rob felt God's call to full-time ministry in 1996 and joined the Free Church in Wausau as their Pastor of Student Ministries (Birth-12th grade) in 1997. He served there for almost 7 years and then joined the FLD Staff as the Director of Student & Family Ministries on September 1, 2003. He was ordained in the EFCA in 2005.

Rob loves working with the local church in helping to come alongside and resource Pastors and church boards and volunteers. We believe we are healthier and better when we are working together.

Brian Thorstad: Church Leadership Catalyst

Brian was raised in northwestern, Wisconsin (Rice Lake and Frederic) and spent the next 30 years of his life in south central and southeastern WI. He married Donna (from Bonduel) in 1975. Their adult son Jesse and his wife Jacquie have blessed them with two grandsons Elijah and Ari.

Brian has had a deep passion for healthy churches ever since the first evangelical church he was a part of went through an ugly split. This zeal for churches which not only “get along,” but are effectively turning unbelievers into devoted followers of Jesus, began when he was twenty years old and has grown steadily throughout the years.

Brian intends to resource and help pastors and churches to make great decisions. His special area of emphasis, however, will be doing anything he can to improve the disciple-making effectiveness of our churches by improving the leadership of our pastors.

He invites your prayers and looks forward to hearing your heart. Find him and his writing online at www.churchwhisperers.org.

Marcus Constantine: Connection & Communication Catalyst

Marcus is ordained with the Free Church and has been blessed to serve in local church ministry since 2011 in roles including mission, prayer, teaching, student and children’s ministries, and outreach. Marcus met his wife Bridget at Moody Bible Institute, where he studied communication and pastoral ministry. Bridget practices medicine as a PA, with a background in Bible and counseling from Moody. Marcus received his Master of Theology degree from South African Theological Seminary. They served on the mission field with a Zulu church plant and more recently as disciple-making trainers. He previously served as communication director with Pioneers and Call of Hope. Marcus is excited to glorify our Lord Jesus with the Free Church movement through prayer, teaching ministries, and helping strengthen our connection and communication.

Do you have a prayer request or praise report to share?Are you interested in being credentialed (licensed or ordained) with the EFCA? Is your church interested in affiliating with the FLD?Connect with Marcus.